Mercy
by DorkNation0221
Summary: Draco can't go through with killing Dumbledore leaving him at the orders mercy. Can he carry out all that is expected of him and keep his mother alive or will the 'Boy Who Had No Choice's fail again. Dramione.
1. Chapter 1

Dumbledore was a kindly old man, innovative and full of wisdom, but troublesome. For every moment that this man drew breath after tonight my mother would be cursed, tortured. She would writhe on the pristine stone flooring of the manor until blood painted her porcelain features rouge.

For that reason Albus Dumbledore would die tonight. It wasn't as if I was particularly partial to the old man anyways. He was biased and nosey and those were the least of his crimes.

In all reality it shouldn't have been me moving toward the astronomy tower. It should have been someone with a little more experience. If it came down to a duel -wand or no wand- my plans would fall apart. He was a seasoned wizard, after all, armed with decades worth of wandless, nonverbal spells of every variety.

The closer I got to the tower the clearer the stakes became. No matter what I did my days were numbered, but at least this way my mother's blood wouldn't paint our stellar stone floors.

No matter what this was the best way.

"Malfoy?" Her voice was hoarse as she peered around the cloak's hood, "where are you going?" When I didn't answer she grabbed my arm. "Malfoy!"

Two options presented themselves; kill her or lie.

She was a nosey, swotty, do gooder with a penchant for spreading Merlins good word. There was no guarantee she'd believe whatever lie I told her and if she followed me it would be bad for the entire operation. Yet, I couldn't find the words to kill her.

Her hands were warm, warm enough to quell the goose flesh rising beneath my cloak, and her eyes were shining. I wondered idly if her shining eyes were a product of tears.

Tears were incredibly human.

An image of her on her back, eyes cast skyward, invaded my mind's eye. Going through with this would almost guarantee her death. No one could hide forever.

"Well?" She moved her hands to her hips, prepared to write me a citation for after hours meandering.

Her hair smelled like ink.

Her lips looked like petals.

And I couldn't kill her. Swot or not. Mudblood or no mudblood. Hermione Granger did not deserve to die.

I found that if Hermione was the last beautiful thing I ever laid eyes on then I could accept that.

For that reason and many others too troublesome to contemplate I withdrew my wand, "petrificus totalus" her arms went rigid by her side as she fell backwards. And as an act of good will I caught her by the shoulders, lowering her gently.

It was far from a good deed but it was all I had. "I'm going to see the stars." I lied, "and I can't risk a brown noser like you ruining my plans."

She narrowed her eyes, but what more could she do?

The stairs to the tower were daunting. For every one I ascended several more seemed to spawn, but all too soon I found myself at the top.

The breeze of this sordid evening rustled the silver strands of hair upon his head, yet he did not move. My foot falls were heavy on the ancient flooring. Everything about my posture begged for him to notice me, it begged for him to kill me first, yet he would not sacrifice his view of the lake.

"Ex...explellriamus," his wand came flitting from his robe pocket. Still he showed no signs of alarm.

"Now that that's out of the way," he turned toward me slowly, hands hidden deep within his pockets, "I'm ready." For good measure he closed his eyes and opened his arms.

A perfect sacrifice from a perfect Savior.

And yet those damned words would not leave my tongue.

Hi is arms trembles violently -he didn't want to die!- and yet he clenched his fists and braced himself for the moment his heart stopped. Whenever I dragged the image to the forefront of my mind, steeling myself to face what I'd done, the severity of the situation would threaten to consume me.

But my mother, the woman to gave me life, sat within the dungeons awaiting my return. Flashes of her platinum hair and tinted smile threatened to drown me quicker than the image of the headmaster.

She trusted in me just as I trusted in her, but I could not kill a man.

He had to die, but it would not be by my hand.

I lowered my wand, allowing the piece to hang between my pale fingers like a bottle of whiskey.

Moments passed and became minutes yet I had not fired. He lowered his trembling arms, slowly opening his eyes.

I met them without wavering.

"You might as well kill me," I whispered, "because he will and he won't be merciful." I swung my arms behind my head, turning my back on my responsibilities. "It's the least you could do" I continued, "after all I just spared your life."

"Young Mr. Malfoy," he voice was gentle, blossoming toward me with something I'd never had- options.

There was always A or B. Kill or be killed. Eat or be eaten. One or the other, do or be done, but -just like with Granger- some times, most times, there was a C.

His C was an offer.

"Get some sleep. We'll have her out by tonight." When I didn't reply right away he summoned his wand, "oh, and welcome to the order."

 _ **A.N. I intended for this chapter to be short and Im sorry if my grammar is trash. It's a combination of me thinking I'm a modern Shakespeare and not proof reading. Read and review**_


	2. Chapter 2

Dumbledore'd taken no time to make good on his offer. His men had invaded the manner under the guise of searching for Dark Items. I was told it was my cousin, Nymphadora, who'd shape shifted into Goyle sr to save my mother.

I'd only gone to bed once a silvery hamster scampered up on my sheets, the headmaster's whimsical voice floating from it, assured me that she was safe.

He'd done his part, now it was my turn.

There was an army if Gryffindor at my door, banging relentlessly on the mahogany. The shock jolted me onto the floor, my blankets tangles around my legs. The urge to curse the lot of them itched in my left hand, but my desperation for sleep was making my limbs feel like lead.

My clock insisted that it was well into the AM -minutes to noon actually- but my eyes were full of sand.

Who knew attempted murder could burn you out? That atop my shoddy self care these days was enough to make me slide half of my body beneath the bed. But no matter how tightly I gripped the pillow about my ears they would. not. leave. The pounding was echoing in my head by the time Blaise had enough.

His feet hit the floor with a smack and flung the door open. The three of us did our share of heavy sleeping, but Theo was lucky to open his eyes in the midst of a duel. He was a fantastically heavy sleeper and I envied him.

"Sweet damn, Granger, there he is!" At my door stood -not three but- one slightly miffed teenaged girl. Her wild curls were tugged into a bun, making it seem almost comical that she'd raised such a racket. She checked her pocket watch and blew at a fallen lock of springy chocolate hair.

"We're going to be late," there was no apology for waking half the castle, so sign that she even realized she was in the snake pit, "get dressed." She cast a glance at my trunk, looking as if she was moments from setting my clothes out for me, thought better of it, and left, "and hurry up!" The door had only just closed when Theo peered sleepily from behind his closed curtains.

"That girl could wake the dead."

******xx

Her footfalls went tap on the stone floors as she seemed to tear down the hallway. Her wayward spirals bounced around her head making her hair look like rhythmically inclined snakes, bobbing along to the music made by her quick steps.

It wasn't until we reached the gargoyle did she stop abruptly. Her previous tapping was replaced by her maniacal patting. Her arms were crossed over her chest, dark eyes cast skywards.

She may have manipulated Potter and Weasley with her impatience, but I would not be rushed. Especially not by the likes of her.

By the time I reached her she seemed ready to start ripping at the seams. There was anger written into her dark eyes, frustration and loathing too. She shut them briefly and when she opened them it was gone. But she hadn't gotten over it, no. I recognized this tactic nearly immediately; regression. It was one of my only knows how much more she could stomp down until it all game bursting out in a jamboree of spells of profanities.

"Cherry-Sicles," no sooner than the gargoyle started to slide did she slip between the widening doorway to begin her trek up the stairs.

Crazy bint. She was seated in front of the headmaster, sipping her tea by the time I arrived. He seemed to be on the tail end of a story so I helped myself to some tea.

He motioned for me to sit, sliding an envelope toward me all in the same motion.

"Your proof, Mr. Malfoy." The amusement over his anecdote faded a bit, morphing into compassion. The task of sitting or sleeping or meandering now seemed childish. She'd been rushing, yes, but then again maybe I should have been too. The envelope pulsed with my mother's magical signature; sweet, honey crisp apples, pale pink blossoms, and whiskey.

It was her. This was her testimony of safety, my eyes were greedy as I drunk in every inch of the letter. She was fine. She was safe. She'd been stowed away in a safe house on the Italian coast, but she also assured me that she would not stay there for long.

The Order didn't trust her even under Veritaserum so for now she was stuck transcribing every significant account she'd witnessed while waiting for them to realize that a written account was nothing when the details she would so staunchly refuse to remember remained tucked away within her brain.

When I'd read her statement a number of times I finally allowed the letter to end by running my thumb over the ridges in her ruby kiss mark. My legs finally gave in, allowing me to crash into the nearest chair.

"What do you want from me, Headmaster?" The elderly man gave me an indulgent smile not quite as fond as one he reserved for his non-Slytherin students, but a smile nonetheless.

"Mr. Potter was never meant to exist." Didn't this guy know how to hook a reader. Granger was out of her seat in a moment, tea and glass both marring the stone flooring.

"But Headmaster-" I could see the tirade forming behind her eyes as the gears started cranking along. He held his hand up in a motion that was surprisingly useful in silencing her.

"Mr. Potter was never meant to exist because James should have died the very night Voldemort rose to power." Her eye twitched and steam seemed to flood her mind, "Lily Evans should have lived through that Halloween."

"But the prophecy!" She argued.

"Is fake." He assured her. Her mouth hung open in disbelief as she floundered for an argument, anything to save her green eyed friend. The headmaster dropped an ancient scroll into her palm, grimacing as she picked at it gingerly.

"Don't be shy Miss. Granger," that seemed to be all the encouragement she needed as the parchment unfurled.

"The King and Queen of the Brave

Shall Fall

The King and Queen of the Cunning

Shall Destroy

The King and The Queen

The Prince and The Princess

The Cunning and The Brave

Can only survive together."

"That doesn't mean-" She scanned the prophecy once more, "Headmaster, this prophecy isn't specific. Let's assume that Lily Evans is the brave. Who could possibly be the cunning? And what's your proof that she is the 'Queen of the Brave' you can't wipe my friend's very existence from this world and expect me to just do as you say!"

"Miss. Granger, this is for the greater good-"

Her eyes welled up with crystalline tears and her hair crackled like lightning, alight with her instability.

"Forget the greater good!" Her voice tore the fabric of sound leaving the notes of her tirade hanging in the air. "What about Harry? You expect me to blast him out of my memory -out of our world- for an all too cryptic 'for the greater good'? You must have finally lost your mind!" Those words left my ears ringing. The silence that followed was louder than her weary worn vocals, making me shudder.

Dumbledore sat at his desk, fingers folded as if everything had gone according to plan. The twinkle in his eyes assured me that he knew something we didn't know, something he was getting immense pleasure in withholding.

"He's sure." Those words had slipped passed my lips before I'd thought them over. Now her unhinged expression landed on me, reminding me uneasily of my Aunt. The hair and eyes made the comparison all the more chilling.

"What?"

"He's sure that Potter cannot exist for the world to be rid of Voldemort."

"He's right, I am certain." He turned his crystal gaze on her, sincerity coating his words like molasses. Dear Hermione, I would never turn to this if I had a _choice._ But as it stands the wizarding world is out of options. For Draco to be himself, for muggles to be free, for you to exist...Harry Potter must disappear." She stared at the ground, agony etching itself into her every feature.

"For Draco to be free," Her empty gaze landed on me, making me uncomfortable. It was as if she was prying through my layers searching for something worth her miserable sacrifice. I wanted to be snarky. I wanted to snap at her and demand she look away, but the way her eyes tore through me kept silent.

"Do you want to be free?" She asked me. Her demeanor turned sharp, causing my silver tongue to break free.

"Actually, I think I rather like kissing the robes of a serpentine creature."

She laughed, bitterness dusting her words like maltic acid.

"Oh how the mighty have fallen." She crowed, "Draco Malfoy -leader of the inbred- kissing the robes of as half blood! I never thought I'd see the day!" She wound her arms around herself in an effort to keep herself from falling apart. Thick tears rolled down her reddening cheeks.

"It's better than being boyfriend to a mudblood." She scoffed, but I continued, "I bet Potter would sooner give up his entire existence than glance your way."

"Well how unlucky for him, because he won't get the chance. I'd sooner damn this world than help you one iota. What has it ever done for me anyways? What have _you_ ever done for me? You ridiculed me. You _tormented me._ And now shit hit the fan and you expect me to tear my world apart in order to stabilize yours. You should have never come here. The Order, Hogwarts, none of it welcomes you, you...you...you vile skrewt!"

"Miss. Granger-,"

"In fact every one else would be better off if you just died!"

Her shuddering breathing was the only sound for a moment. It echoed off of the stone walls and for once in my life I had no come back. There was no way to defend myself against the barbs she'd thrown.

This time I couldn't lie, "sometimes I think the same." That took the edge off of her rage. Her shoulders hunched, the guilt of her words offering to mush her, "But if you hate me so much then do it." She faltered as I forced the wand into her palm. Her arms trembled as I held it firm against my chest, "you know the words." Her trembling arm locked into place, malice glinting in her eyes.

"Is there a recoil?"

"I wouldn't know."

"I'm so sure." Her mouth shifted from soft curves to jagged lines.

That little-, "AVADA-"

"Miss. GRANGER!" Both of our wands went flipping into the arms of our red faced headmaster. His voice rung with an authority all too different from his usual whimsical tones. "I hand picked the two of you for your cunning, intellect, compassion, and bravery not your ability to throw spells and tantrums." She squared her shoulders staring beyond him defiantly.

His tone went from booming to chastising leading me to believe the worst was over. "Three hundred points from Gryffindor for attempting to murder another student. Now the two of you are to move your chairs to opposite sides of my desk so that this mission can begin."

"With all due respect, Headmaster, I don't think this is the right move-,"

"Miss. Granger," his voice was as close to a growl as I'd ever heard it, "as a Junior member of the Order it is imperative that you do as you are asked."

"No!"

"Then you sentence yourself to death."

"I don't care! I'll die a hundred times before I let you eradicate him."

"Oh for fuck's sake." Watching this train wreck was depressing, "Granger no matter what Potter is gonna die. How is up to you. You can let him get caught and tortured by death eaters or you can make sure his mom and dad don't get it on. Either way there's no more Potter and either way it's your fault."

"Shut up Malfoy, you don't know what you're talking about."

"But I _do._ You just read the prophecy. You need to think logically. You can save the world." I'd moved to grip her arms and found myself rattling her, "But sacrifices have to be made."

Her form shuddered, but there were no further arguments. I watched her from across the desk, memorizing the exact moment that her toffee eyes went blank. We she exploded we'd all be pleading for mercy.

*That took a while. So sorry all. Also, thanks for the reviews. I love them all too much.*


	3. Chapter 3

Granger spent her time that day hanging on Potter's arm. There wasn't a time when he moved that she wasn't right beside him. He was suspicious -obviously- but she was quick to assure him that after a rough night she was just a little needy.

On the other hand I spent my last twenty-four hours in 1997 researching romantic relationships. There were hundreds of books dedicated to love potions, even muggles had flimsy, glossy-paper publications advertising how to win over a man in 3 EASY STEPS. Spoiler alert; lose weight. In the end they got me nowhere. I was no closer to making sure Lily Evans never fell for Potter. The only people I even knew _of_ that had been around Hogwarts at the same time as those Potters were the Weasleys.

Next plan. Moving from the potion textbooks to the yearbooks I scanned for more familiar faces. Of course there was my parents, but talking to them was even more impossible than speaking with the Weasleys. A few of my father's friends lined the pages, stoic and elegant, but for a while there was no one I could speak with. Until I'd run across Snape. Even as a teen his nose was hooked unattractively and his dark hair hung in clumps around his sullen face. With his hygiene I wouldn't be surprised if he died a virgin, but who better to ask about the love life of his known nemesis?

If we had anything in common he'd know how to ruin Potter's life. With that in mind I packed up shop, leaving a few of the more out of the way books on the table. Snape would undoubtedly be unhappy to see me, but so long as I had a bribe I would be unstoppable.

Snape's chambers were hidden behind the portrait of the outstretched petals of a pale red lily. I was armed with questions and sugar as I moved to knock. He took his time in answering, probably considering if this was worth his time or not. When the portrait did fling open he only extended his hand for my offering. Wrapped within the emerald paper lay several sugar quills from the top shelf at Honeydukes.

He let me in. Grinning, I dropped the yearbook on his coffee table, pointing at the smiling faces of the Gryffindor power couple, "tell me what you know about the Potters."

***************************XxX

Dumbledore was standing when we entered that night. There was a time turner dangling from his wrist, larger and clunkier than the ones I'd seen in my father's study. Its golden chain glistened as the light from the flames caught its edges.

"Tell me once more what your mission is."

Granger didn't seem keen on speaking, but what was once defiance was now sadness. "We're going to make sure Potter was never born." I rolled my shoulders back before continuing, "once that's done we will keep a look out for the 'King of Slytherin'." Satisfied he placed the golden chain over our heads, forcing our heads close together.

"Four turns backwards should do it."

Her hands trembled as she cupped the snitch sized hourglass. The first turn came at her own hands, but the last three were guided. The last thing we needed was the time turner taking us back to a time where we existed.

"Good luck you two, there should be accommodations awaiting you. And Miss. Granger?" Time wrapped around us like tentacles, "I'm sorry." They wrapped around us like mutant vines, squeezed until our bodies dematerialized. It was like apparating, but nothing like apparating. For a long while there was nothing, but then we jerked to a halt. Sound and sight -things I hadn't realized I'd been missing- came crashing back to me all at once. My tongue felt like sandpaper in my mouth, scratching its way down my throat.

The candle light that once filled the headmaster's office was now oppressively bright as I kneeled on the unforgiving stone. Granger's gentle form seemed to be leaning against me, but it wasn't until my vision cleared that I could confirm it. Dumbledore -younger _I think_ \- offered goblets to the two of us, giving us time to recuperate. I drank mine greedily, while Granger looked about ready to vomit.

"I see my later self is finally giving this a shot. Who might you be?"

"Draco Malfoy," I'd have given him my hand as it was his first time meeting me, but I was too busy conjuring more water for my tragically empty glass. Granger drained her goblet.

"Hermione Granger, Future Dumbledore sent us here to ensure James Potter and Lily Evans never create Harry." Her feigned detachment was almost clinica, like a rushed amputation.

"I'm quite aware of the plan," he began digging about in his drawer, it was the first time I'd ever seen him unprepared, "but for tonight" he blew the whistle, "we'll focus on your rooms for the night. Tomorrow you can be resorted -for show of course- let me know which houses would best suit you and then you can move into your respective dorms tomorrow." A house elf appeared before us.

"Are Miss. and Mr. ready to go to their dorms?" When we didn't answer right away he waved us off.

"We'll talk more tomorrow. Sweet dreams."

 _ **How do you LIKE ME NOW boo to the ya**_


	4. Chapter 4

This time there was no Granger to bang her fists raw against the door. Today that same head of bushy hair was buried deep within her comforters on the bed beside mine. There was some comfort in staying in bed in this time. Voldemort had yet to rise making it disconcertingly easy to shut my eyes despite the girl in my room.

However when I rose a second time there was no peaceful awakening. Granger was standing on the edge of her bed, peering down at the shattered glass. Her wand dangled loosely from her fingers, lips twisted into a grimace.

"Sorry," She turned toward me, pouty lips pulled downwards. "It fell." Her eyes were squinted from sleep, a stark contrast to her hair which filled the area around her like a thunder cloud.

My mornings rarely consisted of conversing with mudbloods, but today -and every day probably- would be an exception.

"What do you mean it fell?"

She focused on the vase instead, pieces plugged themselves into the empty spaces like puzzle pieces.

"I like to levitate things while I think." She went back to spinning the glass I'm midair, "I think it's best that we remain in our respective houses since the Queen is in Gryffindor and the King is in Slytherin. It's easier to bond with the same gender."

Clicking into scholar mode I considered it. Simplicity was usually the best policy, but to keep the Gryffindor power couple -a couple that transcended several time reversals- apart we would need manipulation not good intentions.

She thought that over, spinning the vase faster as her thoughts whirled, "But what makes you think you can get Lily to open up to you? She's a muggle born you know."

"Consorting with mudbloods seems to be a recurring theme. I think I can handle it. I'd be more worried about dealing with the Slytherins."

"I just think I'd be better suited to-,"

"And besides, Slytherin and Gryffindor relations aren't too bad right now. You can leave the manipulation to me and still be chummy with Evans."

"I don't know anything about dealing with Slytherins!"

"As if there's something you don't know." I couldn't hold back a smile at this, "I _know_ what you're doing, Granger. You can't out cunning me, now give me your tie." The vase shattered again, but this time it seemed to have imploded.

I win.

She tugged the tie from her discarded clothing, glaring as she did, "we'll be publicly sorted at dinner, but for classes and meals we need to look decided." I tossed her my tie, gathering my clothes as I went.

"See you in classes, snake."

************xXx

Granger was rigid amongst the Slytherins, making it obvious that she was out of place. Every so often her eyes would stray longingly toward the Gryffindor table seeing her friends in their parents.

Potter One was far more rambunctious than his counterpart with even more gall. The trio was far from golden as they played tricks on their fellow students.

It was amusing until they zeroed in on their next target. Even at sixteen I could recognize that lanky frame anywhere. He didn't resemble a bat so much as he lacked confidence, but I could see hints of his future stride hidden beneath the awkward ambling.

Potter and his crew seemed to glide toward him, wands at the ready. I watched his shoulders stiffen as they approached, his steps faltering.

"Snivellus, running away so soon? You see, I had a spell I was dying to test out on you." Potter's harmless demeanor shifted, all resemblance to his would be son was gone. This man, who'd been better off sorted into Slytherin, was out for blood and I wouldn't let him have it. This was my chance to prove that I was a Gryffindor at heart. Merlin knew the lions were prone to unwarranted acts of bravery and other such nonsense. Saving a boy from a nasty he should definitely count.

Besides, if I didn't act Granger would and her cover would be blown. We needed her in Slytherin so I made sure my _protego_ made it to Snape before whatever nasty hex could. Lupin exhaled slowly, almost appreciatively as he realized he wouldn't be scrubbing toilets tonight.

Potter lips were pursed, his hazel eyes surveyed me with instant dislike.

"Durmstrang might be a bit different, but here at Hogwarts we try not to make enemies _too_ soon. You may do well to remember that."

"Actually, at Ilvermorny we frown at bullying and cowardice." My wand had not dropped to my side just yet. I held it before me like a tazer, waiting for his next move, but instead of hexing me how I suspected he smiled.

"A school of the brave." He dropped his wand, extending his hand to me in a _show_ of friendship and acceptance, "sounds like my kind of place. If you get your timetable from McGonagall I can show you around the school." I went to disagree, after all why would I want to be guided around my home around way from home by some tosser with circular glasses.

But then I was struck by brilliance. Why risk Evans falling for _me_ when I could make sure he never fell for her? So I made an effort to seek out McGonagall so we could go.

My last glance into thall Great Hall made me grin as I caught a glimpse of Hermione Granger lecturing Severus Snape. There somethings you just couldn't dream up.

 _ **Should I do a Hermione pov ? Seems worth it so you can see her progress with finding the King of Slytherin. Let me know.**_


	5. Chapter 5

Gryffindors were douche bags. Potions had only just begun and Granger had already pulled her wand on the Potter git. That was a record.

Slughorn made a show of ordering them to stand down, but neither budged. She held herself with a grace I'd never seen in her. Maybe it was the green tie.

He struck first, casting a stupefy that she deftly defied. A shield spell hadn't passed her lips, but the red sparks showered around her nonetheless. Slughorn was too preoccupied with the silent casting to notice Potter flying into the storage cupboard.

Maybe if he'd been paying attention he could have cushioned the blow, but he wasn't so...tough luck. She blew the tip of her wand, returning to her seat without so much as a condescending word.

"And he said girls can't do magic," the one who'd spoken was a platinum blonde with shining blue eyes, I recognized her almost instantly as my mother.

Slytherin was cheering and for once I couldn't cheer with them. Remus and I went to help the bloak out of the cubard while she was showered with praise and high fives. This had branded her as Slytherin's Muddy Princess something she didn't hate as much as she would pretend to. Even Snape worked to hide the tilting of his lips.

By the time dinner came I wasn't worried about Granger acceptance into Slythrerin. The second half of the table was chanting her name as the hat called out her house; Slytherin. Her ordinary acts of bravery and cleverness had branded her the most cunning of them all.

I, on the other hand, barely received polite applause at my sorting. They accepted me with open arms nonetheless allowing me to bear witness to their secrets.

"I'm telling you," Potter was saying around kidney pie, "that Evans girl is gonna be mine." He pointed to the Slytherin table where a patch of red shone in the sea of dark hair. She was speaking animatedly with Snape while he listened. He was turned so that his back was to me, but his dark head was tilted upwards as if he were enraptured.

Granger was sitting three seats down, deep in conversation with a girl a seat away. I tried to get her attention, hoping she'd follow my eyes and progress the plan somehow. All that got me was a curious trio or nose Gryffindorks.

"She's cute," Remus sipped his pumpkin juice, eyes landing on Granger without hesitation. There was nothing sexual about his assessment, just a fact.

Pettigrew tilted his head as he watched her, "Is she a pure blood?"

"Granger isn't a pureblood name," Remus answered absently, "she could be half blood."

"Muggle born, actually, and I don't like her." Only just emitting my own prejudiced remarks; _I have standards._ "We're... _friends._ " That tasted strange on my tongue, Granger and I weren't even civil to one another, let alone friends, but that lie would have to do.

Potter nodded knowlingly, "whatever you say mate, you're a Malfoy, right?"

"Yes." My reply was terse, a little too defensive over something that once brought me such pride.

"I know you're worried about the half blood heir thing, but so long as your kids and grandkids marry pure your family tree won't be completely fucked."

"Malfoys have been pure for _generations._ "

"They've also been Slytherin." He smirked as I silently fumed, "all I'm saying is that men have done a lot less that give up their pedigree for the right girl." My glare didn't lesson.

"Leave the chap alone," Remus sighed, "not everyone is brave enough to go against the status quoa. His parents have probably beaten the message into his head." His words were reasonable, but the smirk he kept hidden behind his hand said it all. He thought I was a coward.

They all thought I was a coward! I was on the verge of doing something I'd regret. It was so easy to be reckless just because of where I sat and I knew that, but watching those dumb lions taunting nearly made my vision go red.

But there was a sweet note floating along the haze of irrationality. Granger. Perfect. She was standing behind me, hands hanging loosely in front of her as she waited for me.

We'd only just made it to the end of the table before the kissing and teasing began. Fucking lions.

***********xXxX

She didn't speak until we were hidden behind disillusionment charms and silencing spells.

"We need a plan." Understatement of the year, but now was not the time.

"I'll send you a patronus with the Gryffindor password. You can sneak up after dark and we can cast some charms on the bed."

"Good idea." She ruffled her hair a little, mismatching a pair of buttons on her shirt. Her lips were naturally plumped but she nibbled the bottom one anyways, "less suspicious this way." She dropped the charms before I could argue, leaving the hideout with her head ducked down.

She may have had a point, people could easily believe we were shagging. We were both decently attractive people without the labels of the past we created in the future.

It was totally believable that the girl I kept an eye on was my girlfriend.

Still, she didnt have to spell it out. If those slimy gits caught wind of these meetings they'd be unstoppable. Denying it would cause a rift in people's perceptions about what was bound to be an exceptional amount of time spent together, but confirming it made my insides quiver in an unpleasant way.

Luckily no one was waiting outside of our hidey hole, giving me a moment to watch her speed walk down the hall. She may not have been Slytherin, but she was thorough.

 **This is kind of a chapter bomb. So review.**


	6. Chapter 6

Never thought I'd be discussing strategy on a bed with Gryffindors golden girl. Then again, I never thought I'd be trying to break up the Gryffindor Power Couple.

She was busy writing with her muggle utensils, throwing out ideas every now and again.

 _What about a kissing booth?_

And what would something so perverse accomplish other than getting James to pay to kiss Lily? Nothing. She was under the impression that a single kiss would be all it took to undo fates design.

 _How about a paired project?_

With who? We didn't know _who_ the King of Slytherin _was._ That was the kicker. We could match make all we wanted but unless we did it with the right person it didn't matter.

 _What if it's Snape?_

There were a hundred reasons it couldn't be Snape. He was manipulative and moody, he wasn't made for a girl like Evans. Girls that were beautiful and outgoing and brilliant belonged with guys like Potter. They needed guys that were brave and boisterous to keep up with them. Someone like Snape -someone like me- would never be made for a girl like that.

Besides, he said he'd never even kissed a girl so we'd have to rule him out for that alone. All Dumbledore knew was that destiny rewrote itself after a 'single mistake'.

"Well do you have an idea?" She huffed after I'd been silent too long. It was late and my silences were getting longer, "Well if you have nothing to add I'll present my talent show idea to the headmaster. It's the only idea that couldn't hurt even if fails."

"When," I yawned. She cocked her head to the side, "you said if it fails, but you meant when." She scoffed.

"I thought you were only supposed to be and douche bag until midnight?"

"Looks like you were wrong." The bed shifted as she began checking the beds surrounding mine. When she was sure everyone was asleep she ducked out of the room without looking back.

Morning yielded posters. Brightly colored sheets of paper were pinned to every square inch of the castle. Granger had really been busy, but you saw no evidence of that. She was at her table chatting animatedly with Lily and Snape. This time he was facing my table and I could see the fondness in his expression. Granger made Lily laugh, causing Snape's cheeks to bloom.

I watched Granger guage his reaction even as she interacted with the ginger haired girl.

"...thinking mistletoe all over the castle. Headmaster Dumbledore was so excited I wanted to include myself that he's given me full reign of this talent show." The closer I stood the more of her conversation revealed itself.

"Why mistletoe?" Snape asked. He looked disinterested, yet if he didn't care he wouldn't have asked, "hardly seems to tie in with your theme." It was startling to hear that same bass I was so accustomed to in this younger male.

"I fancy myself a match maker." She said simply.

"Oh, Hermione!" I'd never heard Lily speak before. It was strange to hear her now, knowing she was long dead in my time line, "Your friend is waiting for you."

Granger looked up, dislike and disgust evident in her eyes, and smiled, "Draco why are you over there?" The way her lips formed my name made my hands shake. Making my way over made it feel like I was walking on stilts.

Snape noticed, Granger may make an excellent pretender, but Snape was the real deal. He saw how I clenched my fists to gain control. He saw how I struggled to swallow around the lump of disgust.

He saw and he said nothing.

Evans and Granger kept talking talent shows. Neither girls knew what they wanted to do or what they could wear, making for boring conversation. Snape went back to scribbling in his text book. He seemed to be making annotations. A potions book edited by a potions professor had to be worth some gold.

"You're a Malfoy." Not a question, but I nodded all the same, "so why aren't you in Slytherin?"

"I asked nicely." He smirked and said nothing more.

"...I can't wait! Sev, do you want to try out?" She regarded him with innocent, emerald eyes. Even I could see his heart clogging his airways. Excuses flitted through his eyes, but he used none of them.

"You don't have to." She assured him quickly, "I just thought it'd be fun."

He looked affronted, but he would deny her nothing.

"What would you like to do?"

She looked at Hermi- Granger. She looked at Granger with an idea in her eyes. After living with a jumped up mudblood for 6 years I knew that look anywhere. It was the only time I ever felt bad for those buffoons she called friends.

"Do you know Queen?" The stars seemed to jump from mudblood to mudblood because at the mention of a queen Granger was nearly foaming at the mouth.

"But it takes so many people-," Granger sighed. It was like they were communicating mentally, leaving Snape and I to watch on in horror.

"But with four people-" Evans was barely sitting anymore.

"We _could couldn't we?_ "

Granger turned to me, toffee eyes alight, "Draco-," Sold. She sat turned to me giving me the chance to watch her lips form my name. Anything to silence her. Anything to make sure she never said my name again.

"Yeah, uh yeah I'll help."

"Perfect," She and Evans gathered their books, saying their goodbyes as they headed to DADA, "bye Malfoy." She smirked at me, before turning back to her friend.

"Bitch."

"That's hardly anyway to speak to the girl you like." Snape muttered. His dark eyes never lifted from the textbook, but the smirk was evident.

"Oh please, have you seen her hair? She looks like a toilet brush."

"Mhm, a very cute toilet brush."

"How about you then? I watched you nearly choke your heart up when she called you Sev?"

"If you tell me yours I'll tell you mine."

I scoffed, making a show of rolling my eyes. His secrets couldn't be more obvious to a Hufflepuff. When I didn't seem to be cracking he gathered his books and bag, leaving his breakfast untouched.

"Later Gryffindor."


	7. Chapter 7

Granger and Evans were a terrifying duo. Throughout the day they would run up to either me or Severus with a strip of random fabric clenched protectively in their fists. One would hold up the strip while the other approved or disapproved. And then -after the decision was made- they'd scramble away giggling.

It was disconcerting.

At lunch Evans headed to the end of the Gryffindor table, occupying Potter's usual spot and cradled her head in her fingers. Her emerald eyes landed on me as she toyed with a plate of crisps.

"Hermione and I need help." She admitted. Her hand went limp, her fingertips were coated in salt, "nothing looks good on the four of us. You and Sev are too pale, you won't look good in black sequins-" Potter advanced on the situation, Remus and Sirius flanking him as he went. Whatever conversation they'd been having had fallen away at the rare sight before them.

Their illusive Gryffindor was actually where she belonged.

"Now all you've got to do is tell him that," Potter chuckled. He sat beside me, snagging a crisp from her plate. She snickered, looking mortified the moment she had. Her effort to cover it up was valiant, but useless. He'd already seen and the predator in him rose to the occasion.

She'd given him an inch and he wouldn't stop until he'd gotten a mile.

"We're having a private conversation," She huffed, glaring, "besides. Don't you have a first year to torture?" She averted her gaze, becoming impossibly interested in the rocks of salt lining the ridges of her prints.

He shrugged, clearly enjoying her reaction to him. This time he not-so-subtly brushed his finger against hers as he took another crisp.

Her cheeks were glowing behind the curtain of hair.

"I cleared my calendar when I saw our mysterious red sitting with her own kind." When she didn't look up he smiled, "It's a rarity." She began breaking up a crisp, "we have a Hogsmeade trip coming up." Shit. Shit. Shit. "Why don't you come with me? We can even pick up some sugar quills for your friend."

"Thank you, but well… um well," She stood, nearly toppling over as she did. Her need to busy herself didn't mix well with her lack of items. She ended up shifting her plate and smoothing the tablecloth and working her hands through her wavy red hair, "Well I've got something to do. Good bye." She stumbled over the bench, making her face flush again.

"I'll talk to you later, Draco. Good bye." She looked up to him again, "good bye -oh I already said. Goodbye- merlin!" Watching her bustle back to Snape, still working her fingers through her hair and motioning frantically, was a reminder that this was a timed assignment. Snape's account said that Evans and Potter made things official at middle of their sixth year. That left us a little less than a month to make sure that fate didn't get its way.

Merlin, I should have just killed the old man.

************xXx

Granger and I spent Potions passing notes. She'd been screening the other Slytherins checking for bravery and cunning, anything -honestly- that made for a good King.

The only two people who fit the bill were Snape and my father, Lucius.

Granger assured me that she'd speak to him, but her mind wasn't in it. Everything she promised seemed watered down. I was convinced that my father would see through her if she kept this up.

As it was, both of my parents were significantly less cruel as teenagers. Neither were thrilled about conversing with the resident muggle born, but they were polite.

However, when she asked about Lucius' attraction to one Lily Evans that coldness seemed to amplify.

I believe he'd ended the conversation with a not so polite, "as if I'd sully my good name" before grasping my mother's hand tightly.

Well that was as relief. I got to remain as pureblood another day. Even if it didn't really matter anymore it was a part of myself I was proud of. My heritage was as much a part of me as my hair and eye color.

Granger sought me out after they'd gone, not exactly put out over the loss of a suspect. She dragged me into an alcove when no one was looking, casting all of the proper spells.

"It didn't pan out."

That's it. She wasn't sorry. She wasn't stressed. Her lips twitched at the corners as if she were fighting a smile over a job well done.

Every moment she thought I wasn't watching her gaze would fall on Potter never to falter, searching for her friend within his father. Since we got here her every thought and movement was laced with plans of sabotage all for Harry Freakin' Potter.

That thought felt like indigestion, acidic.

I was here, just like she was -just as likely to be murdered by the lurking psychopath as she was- yet she decided that the only thing in this world worth saving was a boy that inadvertently spurred on one of the worst wars in muggle and wizard history. We as a population rejected her, but I was fixing it now. Even if she didn't owe the world anything she owed the world to herself.

She was the hero. Without her and her friends Voldemort would have had the stone. But because of them Dumbledore had enough time to destroy it.

It was me who wished Hermione dead and Potter that revived her.

Potter and Hermione saved the school from Black while I spent my time nursing a wound that had barely existed.

My time was spent despicably and I knew it, but that didn't give her a break. This world needed saving and it was her civil duty to at least cooperate. She was the hero and I needed her to act like it. I couldn't do it on my own.

She was brilliant, but what she was doing, it was dark. I didn't have the right to call her on it, but Merlin knew I couldn't resist being an arse.

"When are you going to focus in the mission?" She frowned, a little butt forming between her eyebrows. "We have less than a month to find out who the King of Slytherin is and you just blew one of our two leads."

"I'm not focusing? You barely had a word to contribute last night. I'm actually doing my job, it's you that isn't -"

"Prancing around with Lily Evans picking out sparkling fabric is an excellent screening process." I snapped, "it nearly looks like you're stalling."

"Oh and I guess consorting with the subject is helpful somehow?"

"It is, actually." I should stop. Every rational section of my mind was flooded with that thought but jealousy and desperation were vicious emotions, "I know that Potter asked Evans to Hogsmeade and she didn't say no. I know we're running out time. I also know you are not _Lily._ You are not made for your precious Potter. You're made for a muggle or maybe even a Weasley if you're ambitious, but _the_ Harry Potter will never look your way! So why don't you stop playing pretend and get real."

"You know _nothing_ about-,"

"I know that he's gay." I told her viciously, watching her face fall did something to my heart. The elation that I thought I'd feel wasn't there. My proof died on my lips.

"Why does it even matter," Granger anger I expected to burst forth from her was replaced by weariness. Her dark eyes regarded me like stained, shattered glass, "to you, I mean. You and your family are all about destruction and ruin anyways. Just let me save my friend." Her hands curled themselves into my robes. She stood close to me, drawing my warmth. I could no longer mock Snape for his reaction to Evans. She invaded my senses, citrus and ginger, all soft edges and curves. My chest felt like someone had hollowed it out as my next words fell from my lips.

"I can't." Never before had I sounded so weak. She chose Harry over the world, but I couldn't do the same. "Hermione, I can't." Blankness fell over her like fog.

Her hands fell to her side listlessly, swaying just a bit as gravity settled upon her shoulders.

Suddenly she seemed doll like. Her hair -which last looked like a static storm- had gone limp. Its frizzy medusa quality had fallen. Now each mahogany spring hung down her back like dead snakes. The pink of her lips and the dull, one dimensional brown of her eyes were the only colors painted onto her porcelain face.

"Hold on, what's going on?" The fierceness I often saw in Granger was here. She mirrored it so perfectly I had to blink in order to differentiate between red and brown.

Lily stood there, hands on her hips as she waited for an explanation.

"What are you doing here?" I asked instead. She sighed, letting her head loll to one side. Hermione had come alive in her panic.

"I guess I'm just not his type." Her bravado wavered in a masterful show of acting. Lily's expression faltered, her fierceness draining from her cheeks.

"Oh honey, I'm so sorry." She gaze me a disapproving glare, "I know just how to fix that. There's some ice cream hiding in my dorm with your name on it."

Hermione let her lead her out of the hidey hole, head bowed, "tonight?" She mouthed to me.

I nodded.

She left.

 _ **Another chapter down and Dancing Souls is my favorite reviewer so far. I'm off to work on the next now.**_


	8. Chapter 8

"...Sev wasn't happy." Lily sat before Granger, head in her hand. For someone helping a girl through a 'heartbreak' she sure did look upset.

Evans sat at her own table today, picking over her peas. All the while our dear Granger sat there watching her intently, giving her words of wisdom and soothing her ego.

"I get he doesn't like him," She continued morosely, "but it's my life, isnt it? Why can't I do what _I'd_ like?"

Hilariously enough Granger was torn. She wanted so desperately to preach her inspirational drivel, her next words -if not inhibited by our mission- would have undoubtedly been 'you don't need his approval'. But we were on a mission and so she kept her mouth shut, choosing to shrug instead of bother with anything actually helpful. Lily saw me and made to move in front of her friend, fully buying into Granger's half baked story about my gentle rejection of her.

I left the girl talk to the girls, more than mildly curious about their disparaging conversation, and found myself moving to sit with Snape. His expression was as flat and stormy as it was in the present. All of his attention was -seemingly- concentrated on his annotations. That wasn't a great sign.

As usual he hadn't eaten any breakfast -making his already pale skin seem even more sallow-, however since Lily wasn't there to fuss over him or his empty plate he hadn't bothered with pretenses today.

"Sugar quill?" It was a risky move since his addiction to them could be recent or life long. The more I let on that I knew the more suspiciously he would regard me.

"I'm quite aware that you watch me." He said flatly, his eyes never left his book but his quill has stilled, "meaning you know I don't eat breakfast. Now the only way you'd know my weakness is if you've been speaking to Lily and if Lily hired you then you can take that sugar quill and shove it all the way up-"

"Actually," I cut in, "I was just being polite." To prove my point I situated my extra non-bribe quill between my teeth.

He shrugged, deciding not to argue the point, "give me the quill Malfoy. Now why aren't you over there with your girlfriend and that little traitor?" I ignored his barb, if he wanted to think I was dating that nosey, swotty, medusa then whatever.

"What can I say? I'm a sucker for the underdog."

He nibbled on the writing side of the sugar quill.

"And by that you mean you wanna know what's up?"

I shrugged.

"You can read me like a book, Sev."

He smirked, but it was short lived, "Lily finds it appropriate to go to Hogsmeade with Gryffindor's favorite celebrity."

"James?" Shit, shit, shit.

He bit his quill in half, causing him to shudder from the saccharine taste flooding his senses, "that's the one."

I picked my next words carefully, suckling on my own confection.

"What's it matter?"

He snorted, eyeing me levelly, "as if you don't know. Should wonder boy or any of his band of courageous cubs go after Hermione you'd be foaming at the mouth. I don't want anyone touching my Gryffindor Queen anymore than you want someone touching your sweet, Slytherin princess."

"But well…did you ever ask her out?"

His dark eyes got wider at the mention. One would think I dared him to kidnap the Queen of England with the way he was staring, "and ruin everything?" He gaped, "What about when she rejects me? Before you and Hermione she was the only friend I had! Telling her the truth without knowing for _sure_ how she felt about me is social suicide."

"I get that you're not a lion, but you've got to be braver than that. You'll never get anywhere if you're always worrying about how someone will receive you." Ironic if anything ever was. Most of my life was spent hiding behind my father's money and good name.

"Easy for you to say, you're brave-" as if!

"Not easy for me to say," acting classes had never done me as good as they had done me in this moment, "because I'm in love with a girl that I teased for years about her blood status." The pit in my stomach deepened, making my own words hard to swallow. I wasn't sorry for hurting her, anything I'd said to her had been true. She _was_ a mudblood.

What was there to feel bad about?

On top of that she'd been the subject of too many exhausting dreams over the course of our acquaintance. Countless nights were spent fantasizing about the shape of her hips and the gentle, swollen curve of her lips. The bewitching nymph dominated my purest thoughts and regulated the speed of my heart with a slight of her eyes. So no, I didn't -couldn't- feel the least bit sorry for the magic grabbing minx.

"And what made you sorry?" His gaze had hardened, knowing that dealing with a vengeful Snape was bad for business I made an effort to backtrack, but it was difficult. Banishing her image was like cleansing the smell of a batch of fresh cookies from your nose hairs.

"There's a guy in America," I offered, still blinking away her image, "He's awful news and he gave my parents and I a task." Filtering through my own experiences to piece together a semi coherent story was not easy, but judging by his expression he was following, "he told me to sneak into the school and...well...she saw me moving toward the stairs." Imagining her that night wasn't welcome. She was alive and well, comforting the mother of her soon to be nonexistent friend, but allowing the threat of what could have been -or what still could be- to dwell in my mind made my blood pump wilder than it had independently.

She was standing under a beam of moonlight, her quill stuck in that mass of static springs. "Her stupid toilet brush hair looked like a dark halo." The rapture that offered to take over my voice faded quickly, leaving a quivering mess of cords and pitch, "and she was…" my voice broke, "she was worried about me."

The situation was rapidly getting away from me. My hands clamped over my mouth as flashes seemed to intrude upon my mind. Her dark eyes and pink tinted smile, the warmth of her hands on my arm. All gone. Her hands would lay limp by her body, eyes staring listlessly into the darkened corridor. The castle would be empty without her annoying, spirited nagging.

"I'd come to let those monsters in. They would have killed her, but I was so scared -too scared." It was then that I noticed the warmth slipping through the cracks of my clamped palms.

Snape -teenaged, optimistic, Snape- put his hand on my shoulder, pulling me back to reality.

"I did what I did and she forgave me," my chest heaved knowing that it wasn't true, knowing that the friendship we constructed was nothing but smoke and mirrors. I clenched my eyes shut trying to quell the rising dread that came along with the fact that I was sobbing at the Slytherin table, "even when I couldn't forgive myself."

"Merlin, whatever happened to you two in America must have been seriously fucked." He offered me a napkin, brows knit closely together in concern, "but you're right." He glanced over to them, "if she could forgive you then I think she could forgive me."

I was a disgusting mess. My cheeks were blotchy, eyelashes weighted by my tears. The world seemed to break into pieces for the moment.

Class and plotting could wait. I'd take a personal health day.

Snape offered to walk me back to my dorm, something I allowed because I didn't care to argue. Granger was the first -but not the last- person to pop into my line of sight. Her bubblegum lips were tilted downward in an adorable frown.

"We have class you know." She fell into step beside me, speaking endlessly about missing something.

"I once read that American high schools have something called...senior skip day." Lily piped in helpfully, "if that's so we should take one. Since Draco isn't feeling well."

"We aren't seniors and even if we were I highly doubt that it is the best idea." Granger was quick to point out the risks as we left the Great Hall. Naturally Dumbledore had been the only one to see us leave.

"But Mione," Lily protested, "What's life without a little danger?" It was a call a true Gryffindor couldn't ignore. An indulgent smile pulled her lips upward.

"What did you have in mind?" I asked. If I was annoyed about them intruding on my day I didn't feel that way now. The thought of do gooder Granger going against the grain was almost too much to bear.

We moved to convene in the prefects bathroom as we mapped out the rest of our day.

****xXx

This was a horrendous idea. As Snape seemed to have unimaginable control I was not blessed with that super power. Suds and steam clung to Hermione's body like wet silk. Her shoulders glittered with beads of warm water and my eyes seemed to be unable to focus on the middle ground that was her face. Luckily she and Lily were both peppering Snape with questions about his favorite liquor and other frivolous things.

He answered good naturedly, claiming that he didn't drink (much different from his future self). He sat against the wall of the tub, head tipped backwards.

It wasn't until Lily laid a hand on his steamed shoulder that he responded. His muscles locked from his shoulders to his chest to his abs and probably on down. She jerked her arm backwards, taking a shuddering breath as she did.

They put on a good show pretending nothing happened. I would have never suspected anything if not for the startling lack of green in Miss. Evans' eyes.

"Our options are limited," Hermione admitted. We'd both left our money in the present and Snape didn't have anything on him either, "this sordid bath has been fun." She ran her soap laced fingers along her arm, leaving sudsy white trails down her arms,"but maybe we should just go to class."

"Unless," Lily began to move across the pool, water lapping at her shoulders. She reached my side and turned on a charm that would have damn near blinded me if not for the circumstances. She was a striking girl, but red was too bright of a color and I prefered the strength and stability of a specific pair of toffee eyes.

"Unless what?" Hermione placed a hand over my bicep, a subconscious and protective movement -one that she righted immediately- that made ice shoot through me. The ginger grinned again, looking to phrase this next question just right. In the end she let it go instead settling on directness.

"I have the glasses if you have the whiskey. You and Hermione are both 17 so I don't want you lying to me. I know one of you has some."

Contrary to popular belief, I didn't have any. There were a number of things I deemed useful on a journey to the past and liquor was not one of them.

Hermione however, did not have the same mind set. She leaned over me, tendrils of wet hair sticking to her alabaster shoulders. "I have some." She blushed under the weight of our shock, but refused to apologize, "I figured Draco would get on my nerves." Did this water get hotter?

Lily cheered, "then what are we waiting for?" She and Hermione made their way to where the water was lowest, giving the two of us an exquisite view of their lower backs before Snape and I averted our gaze. The water sloshed and their wet foot falls made splating noises. Their legs flittered into my peripheral, but I remained determined to keep my eyes down cast.

Snape on the other hand had his resolve unravelled in a moment. He looked up out of instinct and continued to look out of a greater instinct. I didn't doubt that their ethereal forms had enchanted him,, but there was still a price to pay for his crimes.

I dunked his head underwater, making sure to let him go the moment the crown of his head went underneath. He came back up spluttering. His hair hung in his eyes, but his body language read murder. Even if I could have run there was no time. Granger sat behind me, locking her legs around my waist and her arms under my pits.

"You're both naughty," Lily chuckled. I couldn't see her, but her taunting tone inspired me to struggle against Hermione's grip.

"Don't struggle." She whispered, curls tickling my cheek. Goose flesh rose along my chin.

Snape's hands clutched my shoulders. Cold water came crashing over me in a torrent. This time I did get free. Snape let me go and Hermione was easy to shrug off. All of the gel I'd so painstakingly applied was now worked loose.

Hermione climbed out of the tub, her heavy curls sticking to the creamy expanse of her back.

"Don't pick on Sev," Lily said simply.

*****XxX

She led us to the dungeons, levitating Snape and I up the collapsing staircase. It was clear who she shared a room with the moment I stepped in. Only one woman kept a vase of freshly cut daffodils by her bedside. I missed my mother, it was a fact I'd easily admit. This room still held her magical signature. Hermione went into her trunk, digging out a bottle of whiskey from Ogden's.

We all clambered onto her bed, securing spots. I left her a spot next to me, "who's up for 'I have never'?" After a quick explanation of the rules she cast a number of detainment charms on the curtains and passed out the shot glasses.

"Nose goes," Lily cried out. She, Snape, and Hermione all put their fingers to their noses leaving me to make the first confession.

"Dipshits."

 _ **The next one will be all fluff. I'm sorry. No plot. Just fluff. BWUAAHAHABABABA**_


	9. Chapter 9

"Never have I ever," Snape took a pause. Calculating was much harder when your brain was addled with whiskey, "kissed a girl." Hermione sputtered with laughter this game had been nothing but a comedic festival for this girl. From my initial confession 'never have I ever eaten at a muggle restaurant' came other admissions from the three of them. Never had they skipped class (until today), smoked pot (except for that one time with her muggle friends), had sex (except when Neville told Hermione that the greenhouse was empty).

Snape, Lily, and Hermione had done such devious things in their time. This seemingly innocent trio had done more and gone farther than I had and I was supposed to be the bad one. Granger leaned forward, taking the bottle from the middle of the bed and filling it to the brim.

The way she knocked it back made my fingers tingle, but that may have been the alcohol. Her cheeks were flushed from her previous four shots, it would seem that our little Miss Goody Two-Shoes had a very colorful history.

"Whiskey, Sex God?" Even sloshed she had enough sense to omit the first half of that. My cheeks reddened as I stuttered around an excuse.

"Sex God?" Lily snorted, "He's greener than the needles on a pine tree." Hermione snickered a little at that, setting the glass bottle down.

"Well thank god for that," Snape sighed. There was an edge to his words as if the alcohol had engorged a portion of his tongue. "He's good looking and he's still a virgin."

"There's no rush," I grunted defensively.

"There sure isn't." Hermione placed her hand over Snape's, "that is until you claim to be a sex god." She and Lily dissolved into a round of laughter, hiccuping and snorting as they went. I scowled. "Do you want me to teach you?" She leaned into my personal space, making my every breath taste like ink and whiskey. "Well, Draco? How would you feel if I," She shifted, "just," Her nose tickled mine. A part of me was too chicken to turn to face her, but the other half was burning with lust. "Kissed you?"

Her lips pressed firmly against my cheek, her eyelashes tickling the apples. Even with the liquor muddling my senses my heart beat was pulsing in my veins. I wanted her to kiss me, but not like this. To be honest I wanted her to remember it, no matter how bad it was.

"I'm kidding," She sat back in her space, "You're drunk. I wouldn't take advantage of you like that."

Lily laughed aloud, "What she means is; she's drunk. Your turn Mione."

"Never have I ever eaten an entire cheesecake."

Snape poured himself a shot, grimacing as he took it in halves. This man was different than the one in my timeline. My potions professor could knock back moonshine without batting an eye, yet here he was sipping at an ounce and a half of whiskey.

"I was depressed," he huffed when I hadn't turned away from him. My turn was next.

"Never have I ever taken a body shot."

Lily shoved Hermione onto the bed causing the swaying girl to flail wildly. She rolled up her shirt and poured a shots worth of alcohol onto the brunettes stomach.

"Now that has to be remedied." She took her shot from Granger's belly, pouring another for Snape. He was blushing from the situation and the alcohol, but he also bent over Hermione. It was the first time he'd actually taken a full shot.

His face contorted in distaste, but other than that he was fine.

"Want one?" Lily asked waving the bottle of whiskey. The idea of more hard liquor on my unsettled stomach was vile, but passing up the chance to place my lips to her body wasn't about to happen. She shuddered when I sucked the little off of her, making for a very awkward situation for me. She sat up and dragged Evans onto her back. She poured a liberal amount of alcohol into the dip in the ginger's belly. She ducked her head down, curls spilling around her, and -now I didn't see this, but judging by the giggling and Snape's unflattering tomato soup color- licked up the offending liquid.

"One more?" Snape offered. He was avoiding looking at Lily, but it was clear he was terribly into this loose inhibitions thing. The two cast giddy glances at the other before bolting out of the curtains. For all of the containment charms to have been wandlessly and wordlessly dissolved by two girls drunk off of their asses meant something. But at the moment I didn't have the time to ponder it.

Snape and I scrambled off of the bed chasing after the two. It wasn't until we climbed out of the Slytherin common room that we caught sight of them. Two stumbled heads of hair were racing down the corridor. If anyone caught them we'd be dead.

Unfortunately for all of us Severus was not athletic. He'd go a meter or two before he looked like he'd pass out. Conveniently the girls would disappear and give him a break, but when we did spot them again they'd be farther ahead.

We'd have to get him in better shape, because his huffing was so loud I would have thought there were three of him behind me. Or maybe huffing wasn't the word. It was like he was trying to get all of his air through a coffee stirrer. When I turned around he was on his knees, digging in his various pockets for something.

"Shit," the way he sounded he probably shouldn't have been speaking.

"Are you okay?" He glanced up at where they were standing.

"If they're caught they'll get in trouble." He was on his way up, but he was only getting worse. They coffee stirrer was being pinched.

"Well no one told them to run off. You stay put, I'll catch them." He nodded vaguely, focusing on something, "just try to breathe." Even with my uneven footing and swirling equilibrium I was faster alone. I caught up to them even when they took a corner.

"I win, now stop it."

They saluted me and followed me back to where Snape now lay on his back. He reminded me of a fish lying in an inch of water. Lily frowned.

"Sev you have got to take better care of your asthma." She ran a hand through his hair.

"Draco are you steady enough to levitate him to Madame Pomfrey's?"

As he floated she stayed by his side, "how many times have you even taken your potions? What if Draco hadn't caught us? What if James found you? You could have really hurt yourself!"

"You mean the same James you're going on a date with?" It was a bad use of his air. He should have just taken her concern. His words and her fussing seemed to sober her up until she descended into childish screeching. Where the worry and the frustration in her tone was once authentic her voice was now shrill and insulted.

"I can go on a date with whoever I'd like!" She insisted. Her hair seemed to frizz with her annoyance, "it isn't your place to screen -or even approve of- who I decide to date."

She'd held his hand the entire way so far, but now dropped it in favor of chastising him into the ground.

"And if you had such a problem with it maybe you should have grown some balls before he did." She paused, her green eyes widening.

"Wait," Hermione forced Snape back on his back ending whatever he'd been about to say.

"Hermione may I have the potion?" She stood rigidly as she waited. When she had it she turned on her heels and darted away from the scene, ginger hair flying behind her like a flag.

"You two had better drink up," Hermione advised, offering the potion she and Lily had just drank from to us. "Just a mouthful." Snape had more trouble with it, but managed. The clinic was a few metres away and Hermione was busy casting freshening charms and glamours as we moved, removing all proof of fifteen minutes ago.

**********xXx

With Snape breathing again we had hell on our hands keeping him in bed. The moment he wasn't sure he'd die should he slide from his bed he was making any nu and every effort to slip away. He spilled things and tried to head out of frequent, obvious bathroom breaks. He made every effort to look innocent when he was clearly trying to escape.

"I'm sorry Mr. Snape, but if you don't want to be bound to bed I suggest you stop with your attempts." Madame Pomfrey was as fierce now as she was in our time line. He sighed, sinking into his bed.

"This is a disaster."

"You can say that again." Hermione left to find Lily ten minutes ago so now it was just us boys.

"Grow some balls," he snorted, "one does not simply 'grow some balls' as she so eloquently put it." It reminded me oh so closely of fourth year Hermione when she scolded Weasley about not 'plucking up the courage to ask her himself.' If I believed in reincarnation I'd have no question who Lily lived her second life through.

"Here me out," I began, there was a bit of a scheme brewing. Only a Gryffindor could pull this off and if I were to do this I'd have to pull out all of the stops. For once I found that I was doing this for the man beside me and not the mission even if at this point it was pretty much confirmed.

"You have to man up." My plan to win over his Gryffindor girl was one I'd had many times, but I'd give it to him seeing as how he was the only one of us with a chance. "Hermione has the talent show secured and there's still time for sign ups."

"They want us to do Queen."

"Exams are coming up, if Hermione thinks she and Lily have a chance of doing whatever elaborate plan they originally cooked up she's mental."

"But they'll still do it." He insisted, "and I already said yes."

"Compelling, but you have every night while she's on patrol to practice your own number."

"I'm no good at singing."

"You're also not so good at watching them make out all around the castle are you?" He scowled, proving I was right.

"That's disgusting."

"So I take it that means you'll practice." Before he could deny it I pulled out my wand, mulling over my happiest memory. The one that sprung to the forefront of my mind was of Hermione. I saw her that day, holding her wand in front of her and chanting 'expecto patronum!'. Her sheer delight when the silvery water creature swam from her wand flooded me now.

I cast the same spell only this time my words didn't end there. The otter would carry my words to Granger and hopefully she'd hurry up.

"We've got work to do come to the infirmary."


	10. Chapter 10

Turns out I was the one who couldn't sing. Every note of Under Pressure was brutally butchered by my shaky half tenor. Lily looked ready to pull her hair from her braids when Hermione decided that Snape and I may be best with the bum ba dums.

"Pressure! Pressing down on me." Hermione's voice wasn't striking, but it was pleasant enough.

"Pressing down on you, no man asks for." Lily was a soprano. Her voice leaned toward the higher notes yet it didn't quite tinkle how it should. They passed the lines between each other, sharing the chorus between the four of us.

Our first completion of the song was disappointing to say the least. Hermione tried to coach us as best as she could, but it was like the marginally less blind leading the blind. Snape -or as he insisted I call him now, Severus- was advancing quicker than I. He understood his voice in a way most people didn't making it easier for him to control it.

I, on the other hand, struggled to keep pitch. Every note sagged and fell flat like the water logged branches of an old birch.

"No, no, no." Hermione yanked a hand through her curly hair, "go ah." I did, holding the note as she shoved on my diaphram. The note came out clearer than before, but it was by no means good.

"Good," Lily was quick to praise us. She stood before us, "now together."

We left the Room of Requirement with homework.

My assignment seemed rather simple. Holding a base note shouldn't be so impossible, but Merlin it wasn't easy. There was only one person I knew that I could actually sing. Many days I spent my time sitting in her lap as she sung from whatever song book she could find.

My mum, Narcissa, would be a part of the fight after all in a way she'd never expect.

Bellatrix's laughter rung through the corridor. There had never been a time I'd heard her sound like anything less than a psychotic witch. Yet today, she sounded normal. Her dark hair was a bunch of beautiful curls tied back with her tie. She was a combination of dark hair and eyes and porcelain skin.

I'd never seen my aunt anyway but negatively and some part of me was sad. How many curses did it take to turn this girl into a raging maniac?

"Mu-uh erm Narcissa, right?" My mother paused. Whatever she was once laughing at had faded from her mind as she regarded me.

"Yes, that is me." There wasn't a hair out of place. Every platinum blonde strand lay obediently against her shoulders while a few locks were styled to fall over her shoulders. "May I help you?"

I jerked back to alertness, "would you mind if I escorted you? I have a few questions for you." She nodded warily, moving again towards the stairs.

"I heard through the grape vine that you were an exceptional vocalist."

There wasn't much of a reaction, but I knew my mother. She was hiding the pleased feelings that coated her skin.

"A lady must be proficient in something."

Bellatrix slid into the conversation, "Why do you want to know?" A bit of her unhinged attitude shone through but at 15 it was playful. "If you're really a Malfoy you'd know that Cissy has already accepted the proposal from your cousin."

"Oh no," I held my hands up in a sign of good will, "It's nothing like that." I assured them quickly, "you see the thing is my friends and I are performing at the talent show this year, but I'm afraid we aren't very good."

When she said nothing I pushed harder, "I was wondering if you could teach us." She thought it through as she walked. Bellatrix remained silent as we went, off in her own little world, but something had turned her expression inwards. She was unhappy.

"And you're a Malfoy?" Mum asked once more for clarification.

"Yes," hopefully she didn't ask me to prove it. The Malfoys weren't a particularly large family, but no matter what tests were run my blood would run pure. There could be no argument about my heritage even if Abraxas performed the test himself.

"Oh come on Narcissa you can't be considering it!" Bellatrix screeched, "He's friends with two mudbloods." My hands clenched at my sides, but my face remained even seeing as how I need my mother's help.

"Enough Bella," Mum looked up at me for a moment, "What is your name?"

"Draco."

She repeated it, "well Draco. Id like to ask a favor of you as well. Your cousin is charming enough." The concession pained her, "but I need more. We dont...connect and long story short I need him to make more of an effort. If you swear that you'll try I'll do the same."

"Deal," I didn't think about it. If anyone knew how to schmooze my dad it was me. She grinned.

"Deal."

We lingered a moment, my mind running through various scenarios as she did the same. Bella was sulking. She didn't like that her sister would be consorting with muggle borns.

"This is our destination." Mum nodded toward the Slytherin entrance. Understanding her unspoken words I bid them both good night, kissing their hands as a courtesy.

*******XxX

I didn't expect Bellatrix to sit with Severus and I the next day for breakfast. She dropped down next to me an ebony curl handing in her face like bait.

"Morning Draco," She filled her plate with bacon and ham, skipping the fruits and loaded up on fat and cholesterol instead. It made Hermione's healthily piled plate look almost refined. She tapped her chin with her nails as she scanned the table.

"Hey muddy," Bellatrix waited, but when Hermione's head remained down she grew agitated, "you know I'm speaking to you so why don't you pay attention?"

Hermione lifted her head up, scowling, but holding her ground.

"I have a name. Until you learn to use it you can get up and get it y-yourself." Her voice shook as she -doubtlessly- was faced with the woman who tormented her on the Manor floor. Bellatrix smiled, mistaking the weakness in her voice.

"Hand me the sausage, muddy." Hermione continued to scowl, no longer trusting her voice. "Hand it to me now!" She sang, loudly, causing the girl beside me to slide a little closer to me.

At this point I could almost see what she saw as she looked at my young aunt.

"Fine." Hermione stood with her, taking a handful of sausages and flinging them at her. A smile cracked the porcelain facade of her frustration. Intimidation and shouting were all things Bellatrix excelled at, but Tom Foolery was her calling. Before long that little smirk had broken across her face in a grandiose grin.

"Thanks," She grabbed a sausage that had landed on her vest, flopping it around. Mum sat beside Severus, regarding her sister with well hidden amusement.

"Bella have some breakfast." She pulled the pork laden plate towards her, keeping it from her meat crazy sister, "and you only ate meat yesterday. Today is a fruit day." Mum doled out two wise portions, garnishing the plates with sliced apples.

"Cissy you are literally no fun." She plopped on to the bench making mocking faces as she went.

"If you want to score a husband you'll need to make sure you keep your waist small."

"But I don't want a husband!" The batty girl cried. Mum hushed her violently, losing the composure that made her so regal.

"Stop saying that. People are going to start believing that you're a lesbian."

Bella finished chewing an apple slice, "guess what, Cissy?"

"Don't you dare."

"Are you gonna guess?"

"I'm not interested in guessing." Her tone was pinched, shoulders drawn. As someone who had been personally scarred by spankings, I knew that tone. It was enough to make me straighten up and hold my fork properly. Bellatrix, however, wasn't interested in cooperating.

"Well I'll tell you."

"No you wo-,"

"I _am_ a lesbian! Your sister likes sisters."

She gathered a bunch of grapes in her shirt, picking one off of the vine, "coming Granger?" Her tone had gone casual. It wasn't surprising that she had taken an interest in the girl who flung food yet stuttered her reply.

It was doubtless that Bellatrix had seen the fear in her fellow Slytherin's eyes and found it interesting. She'd want to know why someone who was afraid had dared to throw meat, but still stand close to her pureblood protector.

She didn't understand her bravery and -if I did say so myself- she liked it.

I'd never seen Hermione flounder for an answer before. She was torn between digging her fingers into my arm and questioning her sanity. Bella's methods were unfollowable, her desires were unclear, but what was clear was her sincerity. She wanted Hermione to follow her and her reasons weren't nefarious.

Maybe there was hope for her too and it was beautiful.

"You can't seriously be offended that I called you muddy." She began filling her cheek with the little purple balls.

"And then tried to intimidate me?" Hermione scoffed and bit into a strawberry, "guess I'm a little sensitive. Honestly, how would you feel if I called you an inbred?"

Bella laughed, grapes escaping from their prisons. "Oh you are a delight Miss. Granger." She snickered a while longet even while mother and I were frowning. We were _not_ inbred. Our family lines were examined extensively before each match was made. While some families over looked marriages between second cousins there were no sibling mating rituals going on either. "You see I deal in truth and Tom Foolery. How could I get excited when inbred is what I am. Draco and Cissy and I are inbreds. Severus is a cross breed and you," She sighed happily, "you are a mutant. Your magic came out of thin air and for that you don't belong here and you don't belong there. But you're here now and I find you exciting."

"I don't understand are you insulting me or aren't you?"

When your methods stumped the brightest witch of her age that should have been enough to make you certifiably insane.

Bella sighed as if she was tired of explaining herself. "Neither!" She insisted, "I'm just telling the truth. I find its better than not knowing where you stand with me." She ate the last of her grapes, "so come on. I'm excited for Hogsmeade and Cissy for help me decide between my zipper jacket and my hoop skirt." Hesitantly Hermione clambered from the bench. Her expression was twisted as if she were inspecting an abstract painting.

"I think you're insane." She told her truthfully, but no matter what she thought she followed the goofy, curly haired girl out of the Great Hall. The last I heard from them was Bella's wild laughter and another proclamations.

"Oh you're so fun!"

"Have fun, Miss. Granger," Mum called amused.

"Is she going to be alright?" Lily asked. She looked on as both curly heads of hair disappeared out of the door, but she wasn't concerned. Oh no, Gryffindor's golden girl and Slytherin's pet was _jealous._ I could see it in the set of her jaw and sense it in the waves of her aura.

"Possessive much?" My mother finished a grape before continuing with her taunting, "one would think Miss. Evans was possessed by the same affliction as my sister by the look on her face."

"Jealous of what?" Lily picked at her eggs, "There's no law that she can't have other friends. She's better friends with Draco than she is with me and it's fine."

"Yes, but Draco was never a contender." Mum leaned forward a little, "You're her best girl friend -at this school at least- and you don't like the competition Bella proposes."

"And what makes you think Hermione even wants to be friends with your crazy sister?" Sev asked. His plate was full, but nothing had been eaten, "I mean Hermione is the kind of girl who needs to be respected by her friends. Bellatrix doesn't respect her." It was a wonder that he came to her defense at all seeing as how he'd been glaring daggers since Lily got here.

"Oh and what would you know, you…" She grimaced in distaste at his unwashed hair, "person."

"Well I'm friends with her."

"Yeah, these two weeks have probably been fun, but you don't _know_ her. You can't even wash your own hair."

Snape scowled, subconsciously touching the tendrils of dirty hair. "I wash it plenty. Potions work just makes it greasy."

Mum nodded, seemingly in understanding. Her attention was off of her breakfast now as she touched his hair.

Her repulsion was not faked. Only twice had that expression been directed toward me and one of those times it was Pansy fault.

"Oh this won't do." Her slender fingers fell to his arm. She hoisted him toward his feet, "We've work to do." She decided, "Draco we will practice after dinner tonight. Don't be late."

That left Lily and I.

"They took our friends."

Lily bit into her apple, silently seething as she watched _her_ best friend skulk off beside the platinum angel that was my mother.

"Yeah," and then under her breath, "the bitch."

 _ **From this chapter on I plan to alternate between main characters. I think Hermione, Lily, and Snape deserve some of the spot light.**_


	11. Chapter 11

_**Snape**_

Narcissa moved ahead of me, hair bouncing and skirt swishing. Many times she'd been a comforting, but distant presence in my life. She was usually content to hang around with Lucius and her sister so it wasn't a surprise when the Slytherin Universe was vibrating with the news of her engagement.

"It's going to be a long engagement." She'd told Posy Parkinson. Her hand rested on her lap, the rock waiting for her there was big enough to drown her should she find herself in a particularly large bathtub.

"If you want her attention you'll have to change your look." Narcissa had led me to the prefects bathroom. She was busy reading through the shampoos offered to us when she spoke, "She's a nice girl, but you smell and look like the gunk at the bottom of the cauldron."

"I don't need your help, thanks." If she thought her status would make me stand by and be insulted she was sorely mistaken.

"Bella is right." She sighed, "we deal in honesty. I'm not telling you what I'm telling you because I'm rude-,"

"I beg to differ."

She smiled, "I'm doing it because I wanna help you." Laughable. What would the prettiest Slytherin in the school gain from helping me?

"And what's in it for you?" She conjured a chair for the sink, sitting me down and prepping her wash station. It took her a minute to reply, something I was more than skeptical of.

"I've always wanted to." She wet my hair, lathering its oily tendrils in something that spelled oddly like apples and spice, "the female species craves a good makeover like the males craves sex. It's nature." Yeah, bullshit.

Her nails felt pleasant on my scalp as she worked two weeks worth of newts tail, scorpion essence, and boomslang residue from my roots.

"You aren't going to tell Lily are you?"

Narcissa paused, considering as she cleared the soap a third time, "No I guess I won't." The conditioner's fragrance enveloped me as she massaged, "it isn't my confession to offer."

"Thanks."

She made a small noise of amusement before casting multiple drying and trimming charms. The stringy, uneven ends of my hair clung to my robes.

"Lucius is gonna take you shopping for new trousers and robes and such."

I opened my mouth to protest, eyes wide, but she spoke before I could reject the idea.

"It's a gift." Still, it was too much. I didn't want anyone buying me anything. My summer job this summer had gone toward paying for my school supplies. Regrettably there had been little left after that even after perusing battered 'throw away' copies from used shops.

My last knut was spent on an ice cream for Lily. She'd wanted it and her parents were on a health kick. How could I resist?

"For your birthday," She was busy styling my hair, "he won't take no for an answer so it's best to accept graciously."

"Lucius and I aren't friends." I reminded her, "you and I aren't friends."

She shrugged, "doesn't matter. I'm a hopeless romantic. You and Lily have a...connection. When you're together you shine."

"Well if it's destiny it'll happen on its own."

Narcissa started, twirled and sat daintily on the edge of of a chair, "but that isn't how fate _works_ and you know it." Speaking of divination made her smile, "you have to fight for whatever you have. Lily...she's nearly yours. If only you saw her face when you left with me! Oh, her anger was palpable." I tried to feign disinterest, "But even the sweetest girl has has her limits. You're disgusting Severus Snape and I'm pretty sure you're depressed. You have to look the part to deserve a girl like her. Girls like her don't go for guys like you without without a little help."

"Then why bother? Washing my hair and buying me new clothes won't change who I am." I huffed. The words reminded me of how bitter I was becoming. Lately my thoughts revolved around how unfair it was that the only person I'd ever wanted remained unattainable.

They were unwanted and hostile, but I couldn't talk to her about it. How could I? And who was left? Hermione? She'd run back to Lily in a heartbeat trying to fix everything. Draco wasn't any help either. He didn't know anything more about women than I did.

I was alone to muddle through my darkening feelings.

"No one wants a prince in rags." Narcissa insisted gently, "she may like you for who you are, but she will love you for who you could be."

"So it's all about the clothes? I never stood a chance because of my family's poverty?"

"You stand a chance because of your character." She insisted, "but you'll win if you present your best self." Annoyed, I stood and brushed my clothes clear.

"Thanks, but no thanks." My shirt was dingy and there was a tear near the pocket, "I don't want any new clothes. And if she doesn't like me for me then I don't want her at all."

This time I left before Narcissa could stop me. I didn't wanna hear anymore about how dirty and disgusting I was. Frankly I didn't wanna hear anything at all, but that was a thought for another day.

I'd stay for Lily, always for Lily, but when she was done with me...well then there'd be nothing left I could give her. For once I'd do something for myself.

 _ **I feel like this was short. And review. If reviews were water I'd die of dehydration**_


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